Bertrand Gille (handballer)

Bertrand Fabien Gille (born 24 March 1978 in Valence, Drôme) is a retired handball player from France. Very strong physically (1.87m, 98 kg),^[1] and was honored with the title of World Player of the Year in 2002.

Bertrand Gille
Gille in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Bertrand Fabien Gille
Born	24 March 1978 (1978-03-24) (age 47) Valence, Drôme, France
Nationality	French
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position	Pivot
Club information
Current club	Retired
Youth career
Years	Team
1984-1996	HBC Loriol
Senior clubs
Years	Team
1996-2002	Chambéry Savoie Handball
2002–2012	HSV Hamburg
2012–2015	Chambéry Savoie Handball
National team
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997-2013	France	268	(806)
Medal record Men's handball Representing  France Olympic Games 2008 Beijing Team competition 2012 London Team competition World Championships 2001 France Team competition 2011 Sweden Team competition 2003 Portugal Team competition 2005 Tunisia Team competition European Championships 2006 Switzerland Team competition 2010 Austria Team competition 2008 Norway Team competition Mediterranean Games 2001 Tunis Team competition

Bertrand Gille

Barachet has been made an Officer of the Ordre national du Mérite.^[2]

Career

His career as a handball player started very early: in 1984, he played for HBC Loriol and followed sport étude as a scholastic path. From 1996 to 2002, he played for Chambéry SH (under the guidance of Philippe Gardent, another famous French handball player) before joining the German club HSV Hamburg. In 2012 he returned to Chambéry.^[3] He retired in 2015.^[4]

Member of the national team since 1997, "Gilou" was again pivot on the team which, among others, won the handball competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he was also named best pivot of the tournament. He decided to suspend his international career after a physical injury contracted during the Handball-Bundesliga of 2009. His successor on the team was Cédric Sorhaindo. Now, 2010, Bertrand Gille is back on the team. He was a part of the team, who won European Championships 2010. He was also part of the French team that won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

He has been playing together with his brother, Guillaume Gille, since they were little. They played together in all three of Bertrand Gille's clubs, HBC Loriol, Chambéry SH and HSV Hamburg. At Chambéry they also played with their third brother, Benjamin Gille.^[3]

Personal life

He has two brothers; Guillaume Gille, born in 1976 and Benjamin Gille, born in 1982. Bertrand Gille is married with three children. His nickname is "Bobo".

Honours

• French Handball champions 2001
• World Player of the Year 2002
• Vicechampion in Germany 2004 and 2008
• Super cup winner in Germany 2004, 2006 and 2009
• German Cup winner 2006, 2010
• French Cup winner 2002
• Winner of Cup Winners Cup 2007
• Bronze medal from European Championships 2008
• Gold medal from Summer Olympics 2008 and 2012
• European Champion 2010

Seasons for HSV Hamburg

Season	Club	League	Games	Goals	7-Meter	All
2002/03	HSV Hamburg	Bundesliga	32	154	6	148
2003/04	HSV Hamburg	Bundesliga	34	139	0	139
2004/05	HSV Hamburg	Bundesliga	26	126	3	123
2005/06	HSV Hamburg	Bundesliga	27	101	7	94
2006/07	HSV Hamburg	Bundesliga	32	124	0	124
2007/08	HSV Hamburg	Bundesliga	29	99	3	96
2008/09	HSV Hamburg	Bundesliga	27	76	0	76
2002–2009	total	Bundesliga	207	819	19	800